Pie dough is typically prepared by a two-stage procedure. In the first stage, shortening and flour are mixed together. In the second stage, water and optional dry ingredients are added with additional mixing. The extra flaky crust is sometimes obtained partially by very light mixing and partially by a "rolling-in" method similar to that used for making a puff pastry.
One of the methods for making puff pastry is to form a dough ball from ingredients including fat, flour, salt and water; and then a large quantity of roll-in fat is "blitzed" into the dough ball. "Blitzing" means taking pieces of fat, distributing pieces of fat in the dough. When subsequently, dough is rolled out, layers of fat and dough result.
Colby et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,494) disclose a dry free-flowing full-fat pastry crust mix wherein a shortening composition having an SCI value of about 12 to 17 at 70.degree. F is firmed, formed into pieces, and mixed with flour to produce a mix comprising discrete lumps of shortening.
Kriz et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,911) disclose roll-in pastry shortening having a Wiley melting point in the range of about 110.degree. to 120.degree. F. and an SFI profile as follows:
______________________________________ Temperature .degree.F. SFI ______________________________________ 50.degree. 28 to 40 70.degree. 24 to 37 80.degree. 22 to 34 92.degree. 16 to 28 100.degree. 13 to 22 110.degree. 5 to 16 ______________________________________
Parker et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,016) disclose a roll-in pastry mix which includes particles of a fat having a melting point not less than about 110.degree. F. and having solid fat indices as follows:
______________________________________ Minimum Maximum Temperature .degree.F. S.F.I. S.F.I. ______________________________________ 50.degree. 23 43 70.degree. 18 34 80.degree. 17 33 92.degree. 15 28 100.degree. 12 24 110.degree. 6 17 ______________________________________
Polizzano (U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,803) discloses multi-textured cookies containing at least about 12% of a hard vegetable fat having a solid fat index of at least 40% at 70.degree. F., to aid in retaining a firm texture upon storage. One of the exemplified fats (Snak-KoteR) has a melting point of 103.degree.-107.degree. F., another exemplified fat (K.L.X.R) has a melting point of 124.degree.-130.degree. F.
Boehm (U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,099) discloses the use of a shortening or fat having a solid fat index of from about 18 to 31 at 50.degree. F., 13-18 at 70.degree. F. and less than 13 at 80.degree. F. and which is essentially completely liquid at 100.degree. F. for improving bloom resistance in shelf-stable cookies. Typical amounts range from 20% by weight to about 80% by weight based upon the weight of the flour. Cookies made with a fat having a solid fat index of less than 13 at 80.degree. F. and which is essentially liquid at about 100.degree. F. are also disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,722,849 and 4,894,246.
Rule et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,852) disclose cake formulations, the fat content of which may be reduced by at least about 50% and which contain a mono- and diglyceride emulsifier, a major constituent of which (38%-48%) is diglyceride. The cake may also contain a di- or triglyceride vehicle, e.g. a partially hydrogenated vegetable oil having a Wiley melting point of 111.degree.-119.degree. F. and an SFI 25 maximum at 70.degree. F., 19 maximum at 92.degree. F. and 10 min. at 104.degree. F. With regard to the Rule et al. disclosure, it should be noted that, although cakes and pies are both bakery products, the physical characteristics desired in the two products are very different (e.g., cakes do not need to be flaky and pies do not need to have a high specific volume), and the preparation of the two products requires different steps and formulations (i.e. batter is needed to make a cake, whereas dough is needed to make a pie). The principles and skills required in formulating the two products are so distinct, that it is difficult to extend the teachings in one of the arts to the other.
The fat content of pie crusts typically is at least about 30%. Although attempts have been made at reducing the fat content in pie products, they have not been entirely satisfactory. The most important pie crust properties affected by the fat include tenderness (as opposed to chewiness or toughness) and flakiness (as opposed to mealiness). It is desirable that the pie crust be flaky and have a tender texture. Pie crusts which are watery, tough, bread-like, or mealy are considered unappetizing by the consumer and are thus commercially unacceptable. In light of the rising consumer demand for food products of a reduced fat content, if the fat content of a pie could be lowered without the decrease in functional properties of the pie, this could be of significant help to those seeking to reduce their calorie consumption.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pie product (i.e., pie doughs and pie crusts) having a reduced level of total fat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a pie product having no more than 15% fat.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a fat composition for making a pie product which composition makes possible to attain reduced fat pie products.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved method for manufacturing pies.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of making a reduced fat pie product.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description and examples which follow.